Facebook plea for river to be fenced off
Wednesday 17th March 2010, 6:01PM GMT.
The River Severn should be fenced off to prevent further deaths, a group of Shropshire residents has claimed.
A Facebook page has been set up calling for Shropshire Council to fence off the river through the town centre following the discovery of a body in the river at the weekend. So far the group – Shropshire County Council please fence off the River Severn in Shrewsbury – has been joined by 248 people.
Posting on the group Laura Dooble said: “I’ve been saying for months something needed to be done about it but really didn’t know how to go about it.”
Jeanette Haynes-Smith, another group member, said: “It should have been done years and years ago when it was affordable, they always leave things two late, I support this group.”
Today Shropshire Council said it was assessing the situation.
Tim Sneddon, head of environmental maintenance at Shropshire Council, said: “We are mindful of the recent tragedies and are currently undertaking a review of safety along the river in Shrewsbury.
“We will report further once that review is completed.”
The urgent appeal follows an announcement by a leading police officer today that inquiries into the disappearance of Shrewsbury teenager Hayden Reynolds-Evans are continuing.
Detective Chief Inspector Neil Jamieson, the head of Shropshire CID, said he was aware of speculation concerning the identity of the body recovered from the River Severn in the Frankwell area of Shrewsbury on Saturday.
He said that police officers were working to identify the body of the male as soon as possible after it was pulled from the river by Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service.
Mr Jamieson said: “Every effort is being made to identify the body of a male person as quickly as possible.
“DNA testing is being carried out and it is hoped identification will be confirmed by the end of the week.”
He said police were “very conscious” of the distress and concern being felt by Hayden’s family and were maintaining regular contact to keep them informed about the investigation.
Eighteen-year-old Hayden, of Castle Foregate, went missing on February 1 after returning to Shrewsbury by train from Liverpool just after 10pm.
He was last seen leaving The Albion Vaults pubs in Castle Foregate soon after arriving at the railway station.
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I would have liked a link to this facebook page, and BTW fencing of the river would be a TERRIBLE idea it is just the health and safety freaks that are supporting this face book page.
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And if you fenced off all the roads you would save more lives
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Please join the fcebook page to show that it needs to be done
http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Shropshire-County-Council-please-fence-off-the-River-Severn-in-Shrewsbury/369158408684?ref=ts
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Fencing the river off is a pointles task the river was here before us and will be here after we have gone.A fence along the river will do nothing.More people are killed on the road do we complain and say the roads need fencing off NO leave the river banks alone ..
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While any accidental death is deeply regrettable, are these people on Facebook serious?
So every potential hazard should be fenced off – fence off the river then erect temporary fencing behind that if the river floods? Fence off roads and pavements because of the number of people that are killed on them? Put fences around all trees – not so long ago this paper reported the accidental death of someone killed by a falling tree branch.
Put fences around everybody (and put them under 24 hour surveillance) in case they’re feeling suicidal?
….and how about a bl**dy great fence around Facebook, given the recent case of a pervert using it to “groom” a young girl.
Just accept it – the only way to avoid accidental death is to deliberately kill yourself.
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An unworkable idea. Many pedestrians are knocked down and injured or even killed. Should we have all roads fenced off, too?
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I think it is utterly ridiculous that this has not been done sooner. How many lives have to be lost for it to become apparent to the council that this is a serious issue that needs to be addressed asap. Forget the so-called “review”, it is evident to everyone who knows someone who has lost their lives that this is one of the things that the council should put at the top of their to do list. As someone who knows a young innocent guy who lost his life to the river,I think it is essential that something is done immediately. I think it is a horrendous justification that £400,000 of tax payers money is spent on a pointless quantum leap sculpture and £80,000 on darwins gate and a fence along the river is a much better way to spend tax payers money that will save lives. And I know that the majority of shrewsbury residents will agree.
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My deepest sympathy goes to the family and friends of the man. I lost a relative in the Severn some years ago.
I do think however that fencing off the river is a typical kneejerk reaction to this and other tragic occurrances. When my relative was found, we we all very distressed and upset but the blame does not lie with the council for not fencing the river.
In my case it was strongly suspected that my relative was under the influence of alcohol and either slipped into the river or took their own life…..we will never know the answer.
Either way though the result probably would have been the same. Someone who is under the influence will have accidents….FACT. Equally someone who is determind to take their life will do so….FACT.
I’ve heard many arguement about “children can slip into the river” etc…..my answer is “Where are the parents??? Why are the children not under parental control?” In the case of intoxication, where are the controls in the pubs and clubs? As far as I’m aware it’s still an offence to serve alcohol to someone who is intoxicated.
Maybe tragedies like this come down to genuine accidents…..there still are such things you know….even though lawyers will try their best to blame someone.
The council get a rough ride on many issues, some deservedly, others not so, but on this issue I think the money could be better spent than trying to prevent something that should be controlled in other ways.
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Fence off the river?? My heartfelt sympathy goes out to anyone who has suffered bereavement because of the river, but rivers, like roads are dangerous places. The river is large, its presence very apparent, whatever happened to people being responsible for their own safety. Please don’t let the ‘nanny state’ expand more than it absolutely has to.
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These tragic things happen, but to fence of the river is unrealistic and would in the long run would not protect anyone.
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well meant idea, but not possible- next daft idea please
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some unfortunate chap died on Snowdon in January, perhaps that should be levelled and fenced off just to be on the safe side..
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Ridiculous idea to fence it off. Sympathy to family and friends of this person, but come on, its not practical and is not necessary. If you are going to do it, do it from the source of the Severn to its mouth. We should also set up a group to have every bridge crossing the Severn to be fenced off.
Would there be an influential facebook group set up to fence in the fence too?
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I say divert the river away from Shrewsbury and concrete it up to stop any more accidents. Oh and while they are at it they should wrap every single resident in cotton wool!
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I think you’ll find reference on the Facebook site saying ‘any negative comments will be deleted!’ …. that about sums it up.
I too have the utmost sympathy for those who have lost family and friends in the River Severn but fencing it off would be detrimental to the tourism business in this town.
We should not be wasting our very finite council tax on this.
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Well we are at it, why don’t we just pop up a fence on the long mynd?
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*While we are at it
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Megan – I don’t think that the majority would agree with fencing off the river. It was here long before we were and will not be controlled – how high would you have the fence, how high would you have it – who would decide where the fence starts and ends, do you fence off both sides so that peopl who walk their dogs on the sides without the paths and do you concrete it all so that you have a tow path to make fencing it easier and less likely to ‘sink’…etc. As can be reflected in the recent flooding where some areas suffered some tragic losses it has a life and power of its own. What a very, very sad conclusion – I am sincerely sorry for the family and friends of this young man but we can’t plan out every possible risk if we wish to enjoy and experience our surroundings and enjoy life.
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Is it April 1st? I am lost for words. What a foolish and ill-conceived idea. How on earth have they found 248 people in favour of such stupidity?
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As a youngster of 8 years and upwards, we used to play and fish at Coney Green (near Luciefield Road/Pengwern Road), in the whole of my adolescent life, I cannot recall one of a whole “gang” ever falling in or coming to any harm. The Editor wouldn’t print my description of these people who first mooted this idea of fencing etc.
But, I have a better idea, why not build a bridge over the river from the bottom of The Dana Steps (near the Station bridge)to somewhere near Coton Hill, demolish the English Bridge, Greyfriars, the Penny Bridge, Porthill Bridge and the Welsh Bridge, pave it all over and make a massive car park out of it, that would solve the problem of “safety” and it would also satisfy those customers of the Theatre who are bucking at having to pay £2 to park on a Sunday night. That way everyone is satisfied. Why didn’t they think of this, indeed Brown could borrow another £1.5 Trillion to pay for it, but would that be enough to cover it.
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Ridiculous idea. Glad to see that most of the comments on here seem to think so too. Nice to know I’m not alone in wondering which planet some of these people are on.
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i think the shrewsbury canal should be thoroughly fenced on both sides while it is restored to prevent any one falling in and grazing their knees on the dried up bottom
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facebook group said:
“Please join the fcebook page to show that it needs to be done
http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Shropshire-County-Council-please-fence-off-the-River-Severn-in-Shrewsbury/369158408684?ref=ts”
This comments page aint going too well for you, is it?
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Utter madness. Who let these people out of the funny farm?
To fence the river would increase risk of death. Anyone falling in would be unable to get out.
The town relies on tourism. How many non eatern europeans would want to visit a town filled with large metal fences, completely hiding one of its main features.
People have to take responsibility for their actions. IF they fail and die then it acts as a warning to the next potential simpleton.
Rivers are dangerous – its obvo=ious and you don’t need a gcse to know that. Roads are dangerous, railways ae dangerous, electrcity is dangerous. Ban them all and lets live in caves – ohh srry, that would be dangerous too.
Sadly, I think the council are as daft as the f**eb**k nutters and you will soon ahve a school closed to pay for a big shiny grey fence.
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Absolutely ridiculous idea.
Lets hope the ‘elf and safety lot don’t get their wish.
Leave the river as it is.
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why not just fill the river in and build houses on it???? I’m as serious as the “fence off the river party” but then again I’m just as MAAAAAD!!
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Im pleased to see peoples comments on here (especially from ex county man who unfortunately has experienced the loss of a relative to a river), I think the idea is also ridiculous and a waste of tax payers money. The river is one of Shrewsburys biggest assets and there are more accidents on the roads than on the river Severn. I think the facebook group mentioned isnt a discussion forum at all and you can not base the numbers of members of the group as also being supporters of the group. People are joining it because they also want to say that they dont agree with the idea, but as stated earlier all negative comments are being deleted off it.
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